Black Hole
by theMadHatter33
Summary: Severus meets Tom...what comes from that? Rosier gets in on the scheme now...could the upcoming events be what changes Severus to the Potions Master we know today...Ch. 4 now up!
1. Back to School

OK, Mad Hatter here. Just want to say that this is Severus' story, though obviously others are involved, this is his life, not anyone else's. So if you hate him, don't read because I don't really need a flame bashing Severus. But other than that, I hope you like my story! ^_~  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the Harry Potter characters, like Severus....damn.  
  
~blah,blah~ as usual, Severus' thoughts  
  
Black Hole  
  
"Wozny, Nancy"  
  
Silence ensued for the last time as the Sorting Hat contemplated its decision. The rim opening up it called out, "Gryffindor!" The said table rang out with applause, easily the noisiest as the Headmaster rose from his seat at the Head Table to 'say grace' in a way only he could.  
  
"Tuck in!"  
  
Cheers rose from over-exuberant students, mainly second and third years from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor, however two fifth years from Gryffindor made their voices heard as well. The Hall filled with a warm, glowing atmosphere as old friends reunited and new ones began to form; yet at one table, the atmosphere could hardly be described in that way.  
  
The Slytherins were talking of course, just quietly amongst themselves; not yelling halfway down the table for someone to pass the Pepper Imps. Though this year it was more quiet than usual, and Severus had suspicions as to why. Even the first years weren't talking above the noise of the others in the Hall, following the lead of the older Slytherins, just as they followed their parents lead. Though Severus' suspicions were of political talk of the recent events, he didn't let the anxiousness and nervous excitement of the others infect him, he had other troubles on his mind.  
  
This was his fifth year; he would have to work extra hard in class for the O.W.L.S that would greet him at the end of term, and then there was always the fact that he had to watch his back for Potter and Black, who no doubt had thought up some more idiotic ways to torment him over the summer. Indeed, as he swept his black hair out of his vision and glanced over at the rambunctious Gryffindor table, Black was sneering at him and Potter smirking. God! What did they already have planned? Severus shook his head, at least he had his spells to defend himself with, because as far as he was concerned, the Professors all looked the other way when the Gryffindor Golden Boys proved their 'superiority', or as Severus called it, their egotism.  
  
"Snape? Hey Severus! Come on, we're going to the dorms."  
  
"Hmm?" Severus looked up at Rosier and then around the Hall where students were walking out to go sleep for the night. "Oh yeah, right."  
  
Sweeping out of the Hall after the others and through the many passageways, Severus found himself stopped before the usual stone entrance as he waited for someone to say the password, seeing as he hadn't a clue what it was.  
  
"Riddle" one of them said. The wall moved aside and allowed them entrance into the familiar Slytherin Common Room.  
  
~Intriguing that the rising political man I've heard so much about from the adults should be the password to our House~  
  
Severus was about to make his way up to the dorms so he could continue reading Moste Potente Potions for the fifth time, but Avery and Rosier beckoned him over to where they were standing in the middle of the Common Room with Bellatrix, Rodolphos, Rabastan, Wilkes, Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle.  
  
"What is it?" he asked as he stood next to Avery, quite unaccustomed to being asked to stand in the middle of the room for no apparent reason with the only Slytherins in the Common Room.  
  
Rosier smirked, "Just touch this with the rest of us."  
  
Severus looked up in alarm at the silver snake cane he was familiar to seeing Lucius Malfoy strut around with. Not a second later however, it clicked, though only partially.  
  
"What are you doing with a Portkey? More importantly, why do you have Malfoy's cane as a Portkey?"  
  
Neither question was answered however, and Severus only too late felt himself being pushed by Avery into the cane the others were holding, and then spiraling around dizzily until he finally collapsed on someone already on the ground.  
  
Chapter 2 on its way! (just have to do all this damn homework I should be doing now...*looks around guiltily*) ^_^hehe 


	2. Why am I here again?

OK! I've finally got around to writing again! The week's been full of tests so I've been studying*ugh*but Spring Break is almost here! Yay! You know what? I'm gonna dedicate this chappie to my friend Katrina!! Get better soon!  
  
Anywho, HP is not mine, just this story is.  
  
~blah, blah~ Sevvie thinking  
  
Black Hole  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Maybe you'll be president. But know right from wrong. –Radiohead  
  
Severus groaned and put a hand to his aching head. He hated traveling by Portkey  
  
because it always gave him a headache. The world was still spinning when Rosier  
  
pushed Severus off him.  
  
"Get off Severus! You're crushing my leg!" the boy hissed.  
  
Severus unsteadily pushed himself up and grabbed onto the wall for support. He didn't  
  
have to look up to know where they were; it was fairly obvious seeing as it had been  
  
Lucius' cane. What he was wondering was why they were here. Why would they all risk  
  
expulsion just to have a visit with Lucius? And speaking of Lucius....  
  
"Severus, I would appreciate it if you could keep your hands off, these are very expensive  
  
robes I'm wearing."  
  
Severus jumped in surprise. He hadn't been holding onto the wall! Severus went slightly  
  
pink and muttered under his breath, "Damn Lucius, always too silent to even know where  
  
he is!"  
  
"Look," he snapped venomously at them all, "why the hell are we here? Couldn't you  
  
just have explained it all to me before you pushed me into the Portkey?"  
  
"Because Snape," Rosier replied as he brushed dust off his robes and straightened them  
  
meticulously, "you never would have agreed to leave the school without permission. The  
  
easiest way was just to give you a nudge."  
  
Severus was fuming. They were walking towards the door of the room they had landed  
  
in now. Quickly walking up to Rosier he whispered, "Why bring me here anyways? You  
  
don't need me for anything, we're just at Lucius'."  
  
Rosier smirked, "Believe me Snape; you'll thank us when you see why we're here."  
  
Severus frowned, and fell into step behind Rosier at the very back. They were walking  
  
through the familiar halls of the Malfoy Mansion towards the ball room. The portraits on  
  
the wall all followed them with their eyes, muttering under their breaths and glaring.  
  
Why the Malfoys insisted on hanging up portraits of their callous dead relatives was  
  
beyond him.  
  
Turning his attention to his fellow Housemates, he was surprised to see how nervous they  
  
all looked. What could be going on at Lucius' that had gotten them so intent on coming  
  
and now so tense at being here? Even Lucius himself looked slightly anxious; now and  
  
then running his fingers through his perfectly set white-blonde hair.  
  
As they neared the ball room, Severus heard a great buzz of talking from it. ~How many  
  
others are here? What is the point of all this?~ Lucius flung open the giant mahogany  
  
doors and swept into the large room, leaving the Slytherins at the entrance so he could go  
  
and talk with several adults sitting in armchairs by the far wall. Severus looked around  
  
dumbly; at least, he felt dumb. Standing there without a clue as to what was going on.  
  
Sighing, he glanced over at the others who were mumbling quietly amongst themselves  
  
and carefully watching the adults and the other Slytherins who (not surprisingly) were  
  
here. Rolling his eyes, he briskly walked nearer to the front of the room and leaned  
  
against the wall. He hardly cared to stick around with them at the moment, while they  
  
knew what they were doing here and he didn't.  
  
Severus wished he was back in his room right now, reading his beautiful book, making  
  
his beautiful potions, thinking up beautiful ways to get back at Potter and Black for all  
  
the injustices that they're going to do to him over the course of the year...  
  
Suddenly a thunderous cheer rose from the crowd of at least one hundred people.  
  
Severus bit his cheek at the noise, but turned his head to see exactly what everyone was  
  
cheering about.  
  
A man. A tall man, with windswept black hair and pale skin. He walked from a side  
  
door to the middle of the room, swiftly walking past people as they made way for him.  
  
He wore a small little grin on his face, and with that wore expensive silk black robes that  
  
billowed slightly behind him as he confidently walked to the center.  
  
Severus frowned and crossed his arms defiantly. He didn't really like the 'air' about the  
  
man. He seemed too cocky, too....sure of himself; he didn't like conceited people. The  
  
applause had stopped when he had reached the middle and it was now eerily silent, some  
  
because of anticipation, some because of slight fear. The man full out grinned now and  
  
nodded in greeting.  
  
"Thank you everyone!" he said richly, "I'm so glad you could all make it to this get-  
  
together! We all know why we are here, and we all know it is because we must take  
  
action and do something about it!"  
  
Again the room roared in admiration. Severus was beginning to get annoyed by now;  
  
exactly what were they going to take action against? The room settled down and let the  
  
man continue.  
  
"The problem is the Muggleborns!"  
  
An enormous cheer of assent roared in Severus' ears, deafening him slightly. He cringed  
  
at the din, but was more intent now on what Riddle was saying. For now he knew who  
  
this speaker was; he had heard much of a man who was starting to take a political stand  
  
against the Muggleborns.  
  
~So this is the infamous Tom Riddle then~  
  
"Muggleborns cannot be trusted!" he continued, louder this time to be heard over  
  
everyone, "What's to stop them from spilling all of our secrets to the Muggles? If that  
  
were to happen, the Muggles would never give us a moments piece! The Muggleborns  
  
are too risky for our society! They're not real wizards; just carbon copies of those of us  
  
who truly are!"  
  
Severus frown deepened; not at what Riddle was saying, but at the crowd. They were  
  
hooting and hollering like a bunch of first years. He had to admit he was intrigued  
  
though...he had often wondered just how Muggleborns were given magic. He suspected  
  
of course that they may have had ancestors who were magical, but then why did that  
  
magic go away and then come back later? The question was for Severus, how did they  
  
become replicas then? What did Riddle mean by that?  
  
"And the Muggles themselves! Our children are being held back, both academically and  
  
socially! Forced into hiding because of this inferior race!"  
  
His way of speaking was hypnotic; his smooth tone also helped. The entire crowd was  
  
wound into his speech: cheering at the right moments, never-ending clapping echoing  
  
throughout the mansion and he had only just said a few sentences! The cheering  
  
drowned out his voice for a moment and Severus found himself feeling slightly  
  
disappointed at that. His brow furrowed.  
  
~Why should I care what some future politician has to say? I have more important things  
  
to worry about than Muggleborns and Muggles~  
  
Of course, Severus didn't know what was to happen in the near future...  
  
Yay! I finally got off my lazy ass! lol. Hope you enjoyed ^_^ Review please! 


	3. Tom Riddle

Alright! So here's Chappie number 3! I was so glad to come home after my little vacation to my beloved computer, but right now I can't get on fanfiction, so hopefully by the time I've typed this up everything will be good ^_^  
  
As we all know, I do not own HP  
  
~blah, blah~ thank you for your thoughts Severus  
  
Chapter Three  
  
"Wasn't that great!?"  
  
The others nodded silently in agreement at Bellatrix's exclamation. The speech had left  
  
them all in a state of awe, and certainly a lot to think about. Riddle had definitely  
  
penetrated Severus' mind; he couldn't stop thinking about him, about what he had said.  
  
Severus had never really before noticed how the Muggleborns and Muggles were  
  
suffocating the Wizarding Community. Sure, his father ranted and raved about it often,  
  
but Severus hardly considered his father worthy of his attention; not after all he had done.  
  
Riddle just made everything...make sense. Why should anything and everything Muggle  
  
hold him back and prevent him from growing to his fullest, physically and magically?  
  
"Snape."  
  
Severus stopped and turned with a raised eyebrow at Lucius who was quickly making his  
  
way towards the Slytherins. Severus noticed a thin layer of sweat at the brim of Lucius'  
  
white mane and the jerky movements the usually smooth and savvy man was making.  
  
"The rest of you go back to Hogwarts." Lucius said, glaring at them, as if daring them to  
  
argue, "I need Severus for the moment; I will send him back shortly."  
  
The group looked surprised, but complied nonetheless. Each took a hold of a newly  
  
formed Portkey and Severus watched as they all disappeared back to Hogwarts.  
  
"What's this about?" Severus demanded, frowning and crossing his arms.  
  
Malfoy frowned as well and beckoned the boy after him, "Don't be smart Severus."  
  
"Why shouldn't I be?" he hissed back, the silent halls making him adjust his volume,  
  
"Once again, you are not telling me what's going on! I realize we are not on the same  
  
'social level', but you're the one who seems to always want me over!"  
  
"Just get in and don't speak unless you are told to."  
  
He was pushed lightly out onto the balcony that overviewed the vast grounds of the  
  
Malfoy Mansion. The stars were twinkling brightly above in the night sky and reflected  
  
brilliantly off the surface of the enormous lake, which Tom Riddle was looking intently  
  
upon with his hands clasped tightly behind his back.  
  
Severus swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and turned his attention  
  
intently to Lucius, trying to inquire without talking as to why he was here. Lucius,  
  
however, appeared quite nervous himself. He took a few steps closer to Riddle, but  
  
stopped before he was even three steps away from his original position.  
  
"My Lord?" Lucius whispered tentatively.  
  
Severus' eyes widened and his jaw dropped. ~What the hell!?~  
  
"What is it Lucius?" came the silky, yet seemingly annoyed reply. Riddle still hadn't  
  
turned around, his shoulders slumping a bit, as if trying to force himself to relax.  
  
"Lord, I would like to introduce you to Severus Snape." Lucius said graciously.  
  
Severus bit the inside of his check in slight frustration, but also to keep himself from  
  
cracking up. Since when had Lucius become so submissive? And why was he calling  
  
Riddle, 'Lord'? Surely the superior Lucius Malfoy, rich, powerful, and beautiful would  
  
never succumb to this type of behavior, as if he were a lowly servant! Severus chuckled  
  
inwardly, but quickly abandoned those thoughts and began to again wonder why he was  
  
here and when he could go back to Hogwarts.  
  
~If I get caught and expelled I'll kill Lucius...and then Rosier~  
  
Finally Riddle turned and raised one black eye brow delicately. Severus took in a breath;  
  
if Lucius was powerful, then this man was the ultimate dominating force. Power just  
  
seemed to radiate off him, and his features gave him an air of mystery, adding to that  
  
electrifying power.  
  
"Savio Snape's son?"  
  
"Yes lord."  
  
Severus frowned. How did Riddle know his father? He hadn't seen the elder Snape at  
  
tonight's rally; the last he had seen of him was last night as he left his father's dungeons.  
  
However, it appeared Riddle must have known his father, for he gave him a pensive  
  
look before motioning for Severus to take a seat on the bench next to him. Severus  
  
moved hesitantly forward and took a seat at the end of the bench farthest away from  
  
Riddle, staring out at the lake as he had been doing and trying to ignore the knot winding  
  
itself in his stomach.  
  
He saw out of the corner of his eye Riddle give him a piercing look before waving Lucius  
  
off. Lucius bowed and quickly retreated back indoors. Severus was now very glad he  
  
was sitting down, or else he would have fell over. Lucius...bowing? Lucius Malfoy? As  
  
the man had often said: A Malfoy bows to no one. Lucius, the typical hypocrite.  
  
But Severus NEVER thought he would live to see the day when Lucius bowed to anyone.  
  
"Tell me Severus," Riddle's silky voice interrupting his stupor, "What talent could you  
  
possibly possess to give Lucius the courage to introduce us?"  
  
Once again, he was taken aback. The warm, charming Tom Riddle of only a few  
  
moments ago had fled his face and his demeanor. In it's place was a cold, hard man,  
  
frowning down at him unpleasantly with his arms crossed.  
  
~What does he mean talent? Talent for what, exactly? The ability to solve his 'Muggle  
  
problem'?~  
  
Collecting his guts, he stared at Riddle straight in the eye and responded, "I'm afraid I  
  
don't understand what you are asking."  
  
Severus felt extremely stupid saying that, but really it was hardly his fault! He didn't  
  
know what was going on...  
  
Severus braced himself for the onslaught of rage that was likely to come from Riddle.  
  
But, yet again, the bizarre happened: Riddle smiled. It wasn't a huge smile, but  
  
noticeable enough seeing as the man had been quite visibly scowling at him beforehand.  
  
Riddle shook his head, as if amused by his question and seated himself next to Severus  
  
on the bench, making the boy feel extremely uncomfortable because of their close  
  
proximity.  
  
Riddle once again stared out at the luminous lake as he said patiently, "Just tell me what  
  
you're good at, what you enjoy doing."  
  
Severus surveyed him suspiciously, his lips pressed tightly together before saying simply,  
  
"Potions."  
  
Riddle looked thoughtful, "Really? Potions is quite a complex subject, especially for  
  
someone your age."  
  
Severus snorted, "Hardly. Only for imbeciles who cannot grasp the simple concepts of it.  
  
When I get into Advance Potions, then the complexity and challenge of the subject will  
  
become more demanding."  
  
Riddle smirked, "But that's not to say that you don't do those advanced potions on your  
  
own time now, is it."  
  
It was a statement. Severus wasn't sure how he knew that, but he nodded once in  
  
confirmation anyways.  
  
"Severus, I have a job for you!" Riddle said excitedly as he stood up, as if no longer able  
  
to keep still.  
  
Severus hid his surprise and waited for Riddle to continue. Riddle smiled again, as if  
  
pleased by this.  
  
"I want you to brew me Veritaserum!"  
  
Severus had never been so shocked in his life! First he ends up at the Malfoy Manor with  
  
no explanation, then he's blown away by Riddle's speech, next he's introduced to the  
  
man, and now he wanted his help to brew the most powerful truth-telling potion ever!?  
  
"Me? Surely you have someone much more qualified to brew Veritaserum? I've never  
  
brewed it before! It is a very complex potion, and I wouldn't have access to all the  
  
ingredients, and what if a professor found it? I couldn't possibly-"  
  
"Severus." He cut him off, "Do you really think I would be asking you to do this if I  
  
didn't have the fullest confidence in you? And I will supply you with the ingredients  
  
through Lucius. Don't worry, you're a careful and cunning Slytherin; you will not be  
  
caught."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts," he cut across again, "I will also supply you with several books that will aid  
  
you, and as I said, all the ingredients in due time. You are your father's son! I know you  
  
are as skilled as he, probably more so! Now I think it is time you return to your school  
  
and get a decent nights rest; we wouldn't want you to sleep in on your first day back!"  
  
Severus nodded dumbly and allowed Riddle to push a tiny snake figurine into his hands.  
  
Not a second later he was transported back to the Slytherin House, right on his bed.  
  
Looking around, he saw the outline of drapes pulled closed on all the other's beds and the  
  
complete darkness of the room.  
  
Sighing, he brought the little figure closer to his eyes. It was silver with emerald  
  
gleaming eyes, with it's tail in three spirals. He set it down gingerly on his nightstand  
  
before throwing off his robes and pulling on his nightshirt as he climbed into bed.  
  
Lying on his side, his last coherent thought was of when Riddle had placed the snake in  
  
his hands, was of how the man's hands had been colder than the snake.  
  
o.O What's gonna happen next MadHatter? lol We'll just have to wait and see.....;) 


	4. A little help

I had the urge to write, so I wrote Chapter 4 this night. I think it turned out alright, but let me know what you think (  
  
HP is not mine.  
  
~blah, blah~ Sevvie's thoughts  
  
Chapter Four  
  
I was lost, I was lost, crossed lines I shouldn't have crossed, I was lost, oh yeah-Coldplay  
  
It wasn't at all surprising that the first week back at Hogwarts had been a hectic  
  
one. Severus had expected that, with the O.W.L.S this year, the teachers would be  
  
continually stressing on it. Of course, not many seemed to see what the fuss was about.  
  
The majority of his idiotic classmates merely thought the professors were doing all this to  
  
torture them and take perverse pleasure in it.  
  
He was sitting in Transfiguration at the moment, silently copying the definitions  
  
McGonagall had written on the blackboard while the Gryffindors fooled around and the  
  
Slytherins chatted quietly amongst themselves, throwing the occasional contemptuous  
  
glare at the Gryffindors. McGonagall had received an urgent note from Dumbledore and  
  
had to step out of class. Foolishly she had left Lupin in charge of the class, seeing as he  
  
was from her House and a Prefect; however, with Potter and Black as his friends, he  
  
wasn't keeping any order in the class whatsoever.  
  
Said hooligans were currently levitating many old books and zooming them  
  
around the classroom in a race as their cronies guffawed and pointed as if they had never  
  
seen something so spectacular in their paltry little lives.  
  
~Do any of them even care whether they pass the exams or not? Or are their  
  
parents so lenient that they turn a blind eye to their abysmal marks?~  
  
Of course, the entire class wasn't idiots, in the academic way. Lupin worked hard  
  
for his grades, and Evan had that wisdom one gained through a less than perfect life, as  
  
did Severus himself. However, the two who never cared about their studies and hardly  
  
studied when it was time to write exams where Potter and Black, and yet they still were  
  
successful in getting top marks, and how Severus loathed them for it.  
  
The Perfect Gryffindors, Golden Boys, beloved by all (excluding the Slytherins),  
  
who were good at everything without even putting an effort into it. The teachers' pride  
  
and joy...well, except for Professor Doyle who only liked students who did well in his  
  
class, which was why Severus enjoyed Potions even more than he always did. Severus  
  
felt that only there were you recognized for your skill instead of your House.  
  
Suddenly one of the books slammed into his face painfully. He choked back a cry  
  
of surprise as his hands flew to his face as if they could reduce the ache throbbing  
  
through it. There were muffled noises in the background, he wasn't really paying  
  
attention to them though, seeing as his nose was gushing out blood and despite himself he  
  
felt incredibly faint. He couldn't even curse Potter and Black at the moment because it  
  
was too hard for him to string two thoughts together.  
  
However, a strong arm hoisted him up and hauled him out of the room. Rosier  
  
brought him to the Hospital Wing with relatively little difficulty, leaving Severus to  
  
wonder how he could posses such strength with a fairly slight body, but then he  
  
remembered he was quite lithe himself.  
  
"Oh dear!" came the annoyingly high-pitched voice of Madam Bell, "What's  
  
happened here? Evan, sit Severus down."  
  
After he did what she told, the nurse flicked her wand at Severus' nose  
  
murmuring 'Strigo crudus'. The blood immediately ceased its continuous flow; however  
  
Severus' nose felt as if it were on fire. Madam Bell tutted as she flicked her wand again  
  
to clean off all the blood on him and then examined his nose.  
  
"Well Mr. Snape, it looks as if you have a broken nose."  
  
He glowered at her as she raised her wand again, "Nasosgro."  
  
He felt his nose bone shift back together again, and bit his tongue to keep from  
  
groaning in slight pain. He didn't want to know how horrible his nose looked now; it had  
  
always been aquiline, and after being smashed hard by a hardcover text, he doubted it had  
  
gotten any smaller. Rosier chuckled, as if reading his thoughts, "It doesn't look too bad  
  
Severus."  
  
Leaving the Hospital Wing together, they made their way back to the Slytherin  
  
Common Room since they figured McGonagall wouldn't be back and it was lunch time  
  
after their class anyways. The Slytherins would bring their books back, and if not they  
  
would just have to stop by later and pick them up. Severus knew Rosier didn't just want  
  
to skip class because there was no point in going back with Potter and Black there to  
  
wage war on, he wanted to know what had happened the night they had gone out of  
  
school bounds to Lucius' Mansion.  
  
They climbed the stairs and both flopped on their beds, Rosier across from  
  
Severus. The boy gave him a scrutinizing look, which he returned. Rosier sighed in  
  
exasperation and finally said, "Fine, if you're not going to tell me outright, I'll ask. What  
  
happened that night? What did Lucius want with you?"  
  
Severus decided to tell him, at least just the fact that Riddle wanted him to make a  
  
potion. Of course, when he told him Rosier demanded to know what potion, he being an  
  
average potion brewer meant he would probably know what Veritaserum was, seeing as it  
  
was a relatively new creation. And he certainly did know.  
  
"What?!" Rosier exclaimed. "But that's very advanced Potions making! I mean,  
  
I know you're good Severus, but Veritaserum? How do you plan to pull this one off? I  
  
doubt the school holds half the ingredients you need, and the ones they do have you  
  
wouldn't be allowed to be anywhere near! Do you even know the procedure to brew it?  
  
I can't see a school having the instructions for it."  
  
Severus smirked, "Yes I am aware of all of what you said, I even raised those  
  
doubts to Riddle, but he has...confidence in me." Severus wasn't sure if he felt proud  
  
about that or uncomfortable.  
  
"Really..." Rosier murmured dryly. Severus scowled at him, but Rosier grinned a  
  
moment later to show him he wasn't trying to insult him.  
  
"Well, if you need a hand, like someone to help you chop ingredients and things  
  
like that, I'm your man; how you plan to get these materials is beyond me, but I'm sure  
  
the cunning Severus Snape will think of something!"  
  
Severus raised his eyebrow and responded incredulously, "And why are you so  
  
eager to help with a dangerous, difficult, time-consuming potion?"  
  
Rosier gave him a sly look, "Do I need a reason?"  
  
Severus huffed at his fellow Slytherin's impertinence.  
  
"Everyone always has a reason for helping; they don't just do it for the hell of it."  
  
He stated firmly.  
  
He watched as Rosier shook his head in amusement as he chuckled, "Severus,  
  
Severus, Severus...I come from the same background as you, I know how things work.  
  
But surely there can come a time when someone can offer to help without wanting  
  
anything in return."  
  
Severus snorted and narrowed his eyes, "I highly doubt it. Besides, I think you're  
  
doing this to curry favor with this Riddle character for whatever reason of your own."  
  
Rosier pretended to look offended, "How could you think me of such things?  
  
Besides," he smirked here, "there could always be more than one reason for someone to  
  
help."  
  
"I suppose I'll learn of this other reason by the time I have completed the potion.  
  
And why do I have the feeling it will be something not within my power to do, or want to  
  
do."  
  
Rosier got up from his bed as they heard the bell ring for lunch and stretched  
  
languidly as he gave Severus a calculating look.  
  
"Oh, we'll see Snape, we'll see."  
  
OK! For those 'spells' I just looked up some Latin terms on the internet, so that doesn't necessarily mean they're correct. 'Strigo' is stop and 'crudus' is bleed. 'Nasosgro' I made from a combination of 'nasus' (nose), 'os' (bone) and 'integro' (heal). I noticed it was similar to skelegro, which obviously means to heal the skeleton I suppose. So there we go, I learned a new thing today! Anywho, hope you enjoyed. ^_^ 


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